Category Archives: Robotics

DUBLIN, Sept. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Outdoor Delivery Robot Market, By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), Robot Type (2 & 3 Wheel, 4 Wheel, 6 Wheel), Operations (Autonomous, Remote Operated), Payload (< 0.5 Kgs, 0.5kgs-2 kgs, 2-10 kgs, 10-50 kgs, 50-100 kgs, >100 kgs), Application (Food Delivery, Cargo" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global outdoor delivery robot market valued at a market size of USD 4.071 Million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 105.079 Million by 2027. The outdoor delivery robot market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 17.3% over the forecast period.

The landscape of robotics technology is evolving rapidly, across many industries for various applications. The outdoor delivery robot is a substitute for a delivery person. The robot is powered by an electric battery, and moves at a moderate pace. It uses a camera as well as sensors to plan an effective route, autonomous navigation, and smart obstacle avoidance technologies.

These robots offer various advantages over the traditional method of delivery including, cost efficiency, faster services to the customers, accuracy of delivery, and safety & support to delivery person. Also, Covid-19 posed a big challenge to hospitality industry. Lockdown across the globe has resulted in slowdown of all activities. Restaurants and food chain companies are facing major challenge to sustain in the current scenario. Outdoor delivery market presents an enormous opportunity to deliver food at home without any personal contact. This is one of the most important factors driving the demand for outdoor delivery robots in hospitality industry.

Significant number of investments are being made by the market players to provide additional features to the outdoor delivery robots in order to serve their client's requitements in a better way.

Growth Influencers

Covid-19 is one of the most important factors fueling the market demand.

One of the most important factors fuelling the growth of delivery robot market is growth number of Covid-19 cases across the globe. The growing cases of corona virus has resulted in shortage of manpower. This has resulted in increased demand for technologies which can help in safe delivery to the customers. Increasing use of technologies such as digitization, artificial intelligence, GPS technologies have made it possible for the companies to ensure fast, secure, and cost-effective delivery of products to the clients.

Reduction in labor cost is expected to drive the demand for outdoor delivery robots

The usage of outdoor delivery robot is expected to reduce the overall cost of labour to a great extent. These robots can substitute a delivery person and can carry a payload of more than 100 kgs in one go.

Legal considerations related to traffic and road safety is anticipated to create a hindrance in the market growth

The developers of delivery robots are required to consider the laws, related to usage of robots in public traffic. Robots can result in traffic accidents and also hurt the pedestrians. The outdoor delivery robots are also attracting criticisms, as robots would compete with pedestrians and wheelchairs for space. The manufacturers are investing huge funds into R&D activities in order to make sure, the safety of robot usage in public space and traffic.

Segments Overview

The global outdoor delivery robot market is segmented into component, robot type, operations, payload, application, and industry.

By Component

The hardware segment accounted for the major share of the outdoor delivery robot market. It is estimated to cross a market size of USD 74 Million by the year 2027.

By Robot Type

Based on robot type, 4-wheel segment captured the largest market share of more than 45% of outdoor delivery robot market. The segment is expected to continue this dominance during the forecast period.

By Operations

The autonomous segment is anticipated to grow at a highest rate, at a CAGR of 18.0% during the forecast period.

By Payload

Based on payload, 10-50 kgs segment is estimated to capture the largest market share in 2020. Whereas < 0.5 kgs segment is expected to grow at a highest rate of 27.1%, during the forecast period.

By Application

Food delivery segment is estimated to capture the largest market share of application segment in 2020, and is expected to continue this dominance during the forecast period.

By Industry

Retail industry is estimated to capture the largest share of in 2020. Whereas healthcare segment is expected to grow at a highest CAGR of 16.4% during the forecast period.

Regional Overview

On the regional basis, the global outdoor delivery robot market is segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa.

America is dominating the global outdoor delivery robot market, with the largest share of around 57% in 2020. The region is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. The presence of a large number of technology providers in the region is one of the most important factors, attribute to this dominance. Whereas, the Middle East is expected to be the fastest growing region, during the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

Prominent players functioning in the market include Amazon Scout, Alibaba DAMO, ANYbotics AG (ANYmal), BoxBot (Toyota), CATRobotics (Marble+Caterpillar), Cleveron, DHL International GmbH (POSTBot), Dispatch AI (WelcomeAI), Domino's Robotic Unit, Eliport, FedEx bot, Ford Motor Corp, JD Logistics (JD.com, Inc.), KiwiBot, Locus Robotics, Meituan Dianping, Neolix, Nuro, Postmates Inc (Serve) Uber, Rakuten Inc., Refraction AI, Robby Technologies Inc., Robomart, Segway Robotics, Starship Technologies, TeleRetail, TinyMile, TwinsWheel, Woowa Brothers Corp, Zhen Robotics (Robopony), ZMP Inc. (Patoro) among others.

Key market players are actively engaged in strategic partnerships to strengthen their market position. The monopolistic nature of the market is owing to the presence of few companies with their delivery robots at the commercial stage

The global outdoor delivery robot market report offers insights on the below pointers:

The global outdoor delivery robot market report answers questions such as:

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1. Research Framework

Chapter 2. Research Methodology

Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Outdoor Delivery Robot Market

Chapter 4. Global Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Overview

Chapter 5. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Component

Chapter 6. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Robot Type

Chapter 7. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Operations

Chapter 8. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Payload

Chapter 9. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Application

Chapter 10. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Industry

Chapter 11. Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis, By Region/Country

Chapter 12. North America Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 13. Europe Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 14. Asia Pacific Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 15. Middle East Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 16. Africa Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 17. South America Outdoor Delivery Robots Market Analysis

Chapter 18. Company Profile (Company Overview, Financial Matrix, Key Product landscape, Key Personnel, Key Competitors, Contact Address, and Business Strategy Outlook)

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z1130i

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

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Global Outdoor Delivery Robot Market 2020-2027: Reduction in Labour Cost Expected to Drive Demand - PRNewswire

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Local educators are working to drum up interest in robotics.

Over at the Sioux City Rotary meeting, Skip and Richard from Thompson Electric gave a presentation on robotics, programming the machines to installation and human safety, and how robotics are growing in many industrial work places brought on by local labor shortages.

The presentation went over how the robots can work independently or collaborate with human workers to accomplish tasks.

They said its important educating folks on robotics.

So many businesses are looking for people and theres just not enough people to do all the work so a lot of manufactures, a lot of industrial places are looking for their options and robotics may or may not be an option, said Skip Perley.

Richard is also apart of the Sioux City Robotics Club out at the Southern Hills Mall teaching kids the fundamentals in the field.

Read this article:

Thompson Electric gives presentation on robotics in the workforce - KCAU 9

New York, Aug. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Service Robotics Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, by Environment, Type, Component, Application And Geography - Global Forecast to 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p03858922/?utm_source=GNW However, concerns associated with data privacy and regulations is the key factor limiting the growth of the service robotics market.

Market for Research and Space Exploration application is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.The market for research & space exploration is expected to grow at the second-highest CAGR during the forecast period.The adoption of robots for the space exploration application is driven by several factors, including the growing need for servicing existing geostationary satellites and debris removal, increasing number of technological advancements in autonomous systems, and the rising demand for on-orbit manufacturing and assembly in the International Space Station (ISS) from government agencies and commercial entities.

The demand for resupply and refueling missions for the International Space Station (ISS) and on-orbit satellite manufacturing is also driving the market.The growth of this application is accelerated by government funding.

For instance, in 2020, the US government provided USD 22.6 billion to NASA. In 2019, the European Space Agency received funding of USD 15.9 billion from its 22 member states. North America is expected to witness significant demand for space exploration robots. This can be attributed to the high demand for robotic space activities from prominent organizations, such as NASA and the Department of Defense, due to the increasing reliance on space assets and for enabling safety in space operations. Robots are also used to aid astronauts in lifting and handling heavy and large objects in space.

Market for professional robots to hold a larger share than that of Personal and Domestic robots during the forecast periodThe professional service robots are expected to hold a larger market share during the forecast period.Professional service robots are high-tech, sophisticated, and expensive service robots that are increasingly being deployed in factories, hospitals, public buildings, and hazardous environments.

The service robots used for professional applications include drones, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), agricultural robots, inspection robots, humanoid robots, exoskeletons, construction robots, robotic kitchens, laundry robots, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), inspection robots, telepresence robots, surgical robots, and cleaning robots.AGVs are generally used in warehouses for handling and transporting materials.

Due to wide-scale adaptability there is a growing demand for them.

Propulsion systems to hold a significant share of the market for hardware during the forecast periodThe propulsion systems are expected to hold a significant chunk of market for hardware during the forecast period.For any type of service robot whether it be ground-, aerial-, or marine-based, propulsion systems are often the most expensive components, as they need to be robust and require a greater degree of precision and quality control during manufacturing.

This includes all the different motors and actuators that drive these vehicles. Hence, propulsion systems are expected to contribute the largest to the hardware market compared to the rest of the components.

Europe to hold a significant share of the service robotics market during the forecast periodEurope is expected to hold a significantly large share for service robotics market during the forecast period.In Europe, the growth of the automotive, healthcare and electronics industries in Europe will lead to the growth of the service robotics market in the region.

Most of the countries in Europe are developed, have a high per capita income, and can afford the high cost of certain service robots.France and the UK have a strong research base supporting the service robotics market.

Due to the aging population in Germany, France, and the UK, the governments are focusing on the development of assistive robots for elderly care.The shortage of labor in Europe is the driving factor for domestic robots.

Additionally, European countries have been actively adopting robots to fight COVID-19. The European Commission has launched the AI-ROBOTICS vs. COVID-19 initiative to develop ideas for the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics solutions, as well as information on other initiatives that could help face the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.In the process of determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews have been conducted with key industry experts in the service robotics market space. The break-up of primary participants for the report has been shown below: By Company Type: Tier 1 40%, Tier 2 30%, and Tier 3 30% By Designation: C-level Executives 40%, Directors 40%, and Others 20% By Region: North America 40%, APAC 30%, Europe 20%, and RoW 10%The report profiles key players in the service robotics market with their respective market ranking analysis. Prominent players profiled in this report are iRobot (US), SoftBank Robotics Group (Japan), Intuitive Surgical (US), DeLaval (US), Daifuku (Japan), CYBERDYNE (Japan), DJI (China), Kongsberg Maritime (Norway), Northrop Grumman (US), Exyn Technologies (US), XAG (China), AMP Robotics (US), UVD Robots (Denmark), Diligent(US), HARVEST CROO (US), Starship Technologies (US).

Research Coverage:This research report categorizes the service robotics market on the basis of type, component, environment, application, and geography.The report describes the major drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to the service robotics market and forecasts the same till 2026 (including analysis of COVID-19 impact on the market).

Apart from these, the report also consists of leadership mapping and analysis of all the companies included in the service robotics ecosystem.

Key Benefits of Buying the Report

The report would help leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways:1. This report segments the service robotics market comprehensively and provides the closest market size projection for all subsegments across different regions.2. The report helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities for market growth.3. This report would help stakeholders understand their competitors better and gain more insights to improve their position in the business. The competitive landscape section includes competitor ecosystem, product developments and launches, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions.4. The analysis of the top 25 companies, based on the strength of the market rank as well as the product footprint will help stakeholders visualize the market positioning of these key players.5. Patent analysis, trade data, and technological trends that will shape the market in the coming years has also been covered in this report.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p03858922/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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The service robotics market is projected to grow from USD 36.2 billion in 2021 and is - GlobeNewswire

Breakthrough technologies like robotics and AI have been demonstrating potential to address many common issues in the modern healthcare industry. Often considered synonymous with surgical robots, which are a dominant application for robotics in healthcare, medical robots are being used in many other care delivery and hospital management operations. Advanced medical robotic systems are capable of executing several tasks, from complex surgical procedures to personal care, medicine dispensing, clinical training and more.

Used mainly for tasks that involve monotonous and repetitive work, the integration of machine learning in healthcare has also contributed to the burgeoning popularity of medical robots in recent years. According to a report by Global Market Insights, Inc. (GMI) the global medical robots market size could exceed $22.1 billion by 2027.

Over the past two decades, minimally invasive surgery, or MIS has established itself as a highly sought-after surgical alternative to conventional open surgery in many cases, owing to medical advantages like smaller incisions and faster recovery times. There are various types of MIS solutions, which involve small incisions through which minuscule cameras and instruments are inserted to perform the surgical procedure.

Laparoscopy, in particular, has gained rapid prominence as a commonly executed minimally invasive surgical technique, providing benefits such as fewer complications post-operation, reduced surgical risk, and accelerated patient recovery. One of the major drivers behind the growing preference for laparoscopic procedures in recent years is the gradual shift of the healthcare sector away from open surgeries.

Despite growing interest, however, conventional minimally invasive surgical procedures face certain limitations. These include loss of force- and touch-related sensations, which are essential for surgical accuracy, restriction of movement dexterity due to limited instrument mobility, and the risk of physiological tremors, which can be transmitted to the operating field by the rigid laparoscopic equipment.

Robotic surgery systems, especially robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries, can be a solution to these challenges and are expected to transform the way minimally invasive surgeries are performed. Based on GMI estimates, the medical robots market share from the laparoscopic application segment held a valuation of nearly $2.51 billion in 2020.

Robot-assisted surgery holds certain similarities to traditional laparoscopic procedures, vis--vis use of high-definition, 3-D imaging for magnification of the surgical site, high-tech cameras, and reliance on small incisions. Despite these similarities, robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries possess a certain edge over their conventional counterparts. These systems do not require surgeons to scrub in at the patients side, but rather allow them to operate the laparoscopic instruments via robots, using a separate console in the operating room.

In January 2021, TransEnterix, Inc., a pioneer in digitization of the interface between surgeons and patients in MIS, announced the CE Mark approval for its Intelligent Surgical Unit, which is designed to enhance the machine vision proficiency of the Senhance Surgical System. Through this approval, Senhance digital laparoscopic programs gained access to the novel technology, bringing them to the fore in terms of augmented intelligence-powered surgical innovation.

Likewise, in February 2021, CMR Surgical collaborated with LifeHealthcare to introduce its Versius Surgical Robotic System into the Australian market. Following its launch, Sydney-based Macquarie University Hospital became the first to utilize the system after its approval by the Australian TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) in late 2019, which authorized the Versius system for use in a vast array of laparoscopic procedures.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has brought along several unprecedented threats and burdens to the global healthcare industry. These challenges are manifesting in numerous forms, most prominently the high risk posed to frontline healthcare workers battling the pandemic.

Among the many types of robotics in healthcare, telemedicine robots, or telepresence robots, have been gaining rapid momentum. A notable example is a collaborative effort undertaken by Boston Dynamics, Brigham and Womens Hospital, MIT, and others, to develop a robotic solution for the measurement of patient vital signs, reducing frontline healthcare workers vulnerability to COVID-19 transmission.

The new solution, called Dr. Spot, is a customized version of the four-legged, dog-like robot built by Boston Dynamics, built to measure vital signs using contactless monitoring equipment. Outfitted with a tablet that allows healthcare workers to conduct face-to-face consultations and exams, the hyperlocal telemedicine robot version not only mitigates exposure risk for medical personnel but also ensures the reduced need for and conservation of essential PPE.

At the Sunway Medical Center in Malaysia, a robot called the BellaBot was deployed to serve food and other essentials across the pediatric ward. The robot is equipped shelfs to place different items and has a range of expressions. The aim of the project was to keep the patients in the ward cheerful while also ensuring increased protection for the healthcare providers.

Some of the challenges posed by the pandemic include the global shortages of PPE (personal protective equipment), which created fierce competition amongst governments in developed and emerging economies, as well as limitations associated with human labor capacity. Medical robots could pose a solution for these dilemmas, providing multiple benefits such as the reduced need for patient and healthcare worker contact, mitigation of PPE requirement, and the ability to serve at maximum capacity in unprecedented times.

With the field of robot-assisted surgery growing and advancing at a breakneck pace, the advent of technologically advanced healthcare robots is surging as well. Experiments in next-gen fields such as deep learning and sensor technologies have paved the way for numerous innovations related to robotics in healthcare, with an aim to increase autonomy and minimize patient intrusiveness. These developments are steadily pushing the boundaries of existing healthcare solutions, proving that medical robot technology will play a key role in the transformation of care delivery over the years ahead.

Access to recently developed materials, new technological deliveries and access to new markets are only

From glucose monitors to heart monitors, the mobile technology market for medical products continues to

With prices jumping in China, Western device manufacturers and suppliers are looking elsewhere.

How advanced software, technology and manufacturing processes will help companies stay competitive.

Originally posted here:

Laparoscopic Applications Highlight the Trends in Medical Robots Industry - MedTech Intelligence

Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's secretary of foreign affairs, welcomes members of the Afghan Dreamers all-girls robotics team at the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City.

Five members of the celebrated all-girls Afghan robotics team, which made headlines as a symbol of a more progressive Afghanistan, landed in Mexico on Tuesday after escaping their country in the wake of the Taliban seizing control.

"We give you the warmest welcome to Mexico," the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Martha Delgado told the girls as she greeted them during a news conference at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. The girls were part of the first group of Afghan refugees to arrive in Mexico. Others on the same 20-hour flight included members of the media who've requested a humanitarian, refugee or asylum visa from the Mexican government.

"Thank you so much," one of the girls said during the news conference. "We would really appreciate it if you have the opportunity to help others too to come to Mexico." As she spoke, the team member sitting next to her became visibly emotional.

Last week, 10 other members of the team called the Afghan Dreamers landed in Qatar, according to Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, who started theAfghan girls robotics teamin 2017. Mahboob founded theDigital Citizen Fund, which runs classes for girls in STEM and robotics.

The work to bring the girls to Doha began on Aug. 12 when Mahboob, DCF founder, and Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown, a DCF board member, asked Qatar for help. Government officials had stayed in touch with the team after hosting it in Doha in 2019.

"The Taliban have promised to allow girls to be educated to whatever extent allowed by Shariah law," Mahboob said in a statement obtained by The New York Times. "We will have to wait and see to what that means. Obviously, we hope that women and girls will be allowed to pursue dreams and opportunities under the Taliban, because that is what is best for Afghanistan and in fact the world."

The girls who fled will settle in Qatar to continue their education, Mahboob said, while others plan to stay in Afghanistan, at least for now.

Members of the Afghan all-girls robotics team work with their robot in the practice area between events at the 2017 FIRST Global Challenge in Washington, DC.

On the Sunday the Taliban fighters took control of Kabul, all but officially sealing their takeover of the whole country, New York-based international human rights lawyer Kimberley Motley described what the girls were experiencing amid the panic and uncertainty of the Taliban takeover.

"These girls are extremely terrified,"Motley told the Canadian Broadcast News. "They're in Herat, where now in the universities, they're turning girls away. They're telling girls, 'Don't come back to the university.' Women are showing up for work and are being turned away. They're seeing this and watching tearfully as their city is crumbling."

The Taliban captured the girls' hometown of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city and a strategic provincial capital, as fighters approached the capital of Kabul.

Members of the team, who range in age from 12 to 18, have overcome war and other hardships to pursue their love of engineering and robotics and strike a blow for gender equality and national pride.

This CNET video shows them accepting the silver medal for "courageous achievement" at a 2017 international robotics competition. Other teams had four months to build their robots, but the team from Afghanistan, twice denied visas into the US until a late intervention by the Trump administration, had only two weeks to build and ship their ball-sorting bot to Washington, DC.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the teamworked on a low-cost ventilator using old car parts. The design, inspired by work on an emergency ventilator out of MIT, is low-tech so it can be replicated around the world with local products. For that contribution the team made Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list this year. The list honors trailblazers who exemplify determination, hard work and innovation.

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Motley has worked in Afghanistan since 2008, successfully handling criminal and civil cases there. She says she fears for the young roboticists' futures now that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country, leaving the Taliban in power and parts of the country in panic and chaos. The girls have expressed a desire to continue their education in Canada, and Motley has been working to make that happen. Their plight has even spawned a Change.org petition calling for their safe resettlement there.

As my CNET colleague Katie Collins reports, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen hastaken to Twitter to say Taliban soldiers have been ordered not to enter people's homes and has described reports that soldiers are forcing young girls into marriage as "poisonous propaganda." The story Shaheen is telling on Twitter is at odds both with news reports from the ground in Afghanistan and the fear expressed by Afghan citizens.

"We are deeply worried about Afghan women and girls, their rights to education, work and freedom of movement," the White House said in a statement released Wednesday. "We call on those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to guarantee their protection."

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More members of Afghanistan's all-girls robotics team flee the Taliban - CNET

The new conveyor installed at the established manufacturing facility in Athens carries the tortillas along the line to check for quality before being packaged and palletised for distribution.

Greek robotics and automation specialist Robotsys enlisted the help of Automation Experts a sales partner of Invertek Drives, one of the worlds leading innovators in VFD technology to develop the bespoke system using Optidrive VFDs. The process also involved the control of a robot for the packaging and palletizing of the products at the end of the line.

The project involved designing a completely new conveyor solution, including more automation than the existing process, said Teo Amiridis, technical director of Automation Experts.

The customer wanted to increase the speed of the line, including the quality control element, before packaging the tortillas automatically.

According to Amiridis, the six-conveyer line uses a total of 12 Optidrive VFDs: six E3s to control the motion of each conveyor; two to regulate the Cartesian system to find the correct angle to rotate the conveyer; three to govern the rejection pistons to push scrap products off the line and a final one to drive the Yaskawa robot, which controls the packaging and palletising of the tortillas at the end of the line.

The conveyors must sync with the rejection pistons to allow the right batch of tortillas to be pushed off the line at the correct time. So, accurate motion control is crucial for each element of the line, he said.

The Optidrive E3, Frame Size 1 with an IP20 enclosure, with 3PH input and output, 380V- 480V was chosen for the line and piston control.

An Optidrive P2, Frame Size 2 with IP20 enclosure, with 3PH input and output, 380V-480V was selected for the movement of the picking and packaging robot.

The Optidrive E3 has three application modes out of the box: industrial, pump and fan modes, which makes it easier to set up and commission for a range of applications.

The parameters connected to Inverteks Optitools mobile app via the Optistick Smart can also be easily changed and replicated on multiple drives through Bluetooth and NFC connectivity.

The Optidrive E3 is available in IP20 and IP66 enclosures and four frame sizes, making it ideal for a wide range of applications and environments.

The Optidrive P2 high-powered drive is available in IP20, IP55 and IP66 / NEMA 4X enclosures; single and three-phase input of between 200v to 600v, 0.75kW to 250kW and 1HP to 350HP. It supports all motor types, including IM, PM, BLDC and SynRM.

Working with Robotsys, we were able to design a completely automated system, added Amiridis.

The quality and control were an objective from the outset. Were pleased that weve doubled the speed of production while at the same time improving the quality of the product.

Continued here:

Greek tortilla producer gets production boost with bespoke robotic and VFD technology - BakeryAndSnacks.com

Driverless cars are already a reality in some countries and their regular use on the UK's roads is on the horizon.

But William Sachiti, a self-described "serial entrepreneur", has jumped one step ahead and created Europe's first street-legal self-driving vehicle which is already being used to trial deliveries of goods to households, including in Surrey.

His Kar-Go invention has been used in his home town of Banstead as part of its trials which have also taken part over the Surrey/London border in Hounslow.

READ MORE: From office deli to international online company how one female entrepreneur pivoted during the pandemic

While he's created and sold several projects, he's currently focusing on the future of automation.

"After I sold my last company I thought I could do pretty much anything," he said. "All of the money was going towards these Silicon Valley type apps that don't really change anything positively in the world."

For Mr Sachiti, creating with a positive purpose is an important factor.

"I would say making the world a better place is what motivates me," he said. "Because if we want a utopian future we have to create it."

One of his many projects has made steps towards this future, by transforming trees in Africa to hubs of educational content through AI software. "As someone that grew up in Africa I saw that the difference between me and the children there is education," he said.

Mr Sachiti designed micro-computers that could be implanted into the trees to produce wifi, and made this technology open source so that anybody can create and replicate it for free, opening up the world of information to people who wouldn't otherwise have access.

"I thought someone needs to rebalance this and I'll take a step that will hopefully inspire more people to run with it," he said. "Later in my career I'd like to focus on rebalancing that."

Mr Sachiti had already gained the equivalent of a degree by the age of 16 in Zimbabwe before moving to the UK, but believing that the world needed automation is what prompted him to go back to university at the age of 31 to study Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at Aberystwyth University. It was here that he invented the world's first AI robot librarian, called Hugh.

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In 2016, the university gave him 10,000 which he used to start the Academy of Robotics.

"I started the Academy of Robotics in 2017, robotics and automation were sort of new at the time."

Mr Sachiti had started to consider solving the 'last mile' problem in logistics at university, which looks at the massive costs involved in delivering items to their final addresses. He initially thought that the solution was drone technology, but found the user experience to be terrible.

"The biggest problem in the online industry is simply that 'last mile' of moving something from that local depot to your house," he explained. This is what inspired Mr Sachiti to invent the Kar-Go autonomous delivery system which he believes solves this issue.

"At the moment deliveries are on average 7 per delivery with drivers doing up to 50 deliveries a day, so ]it's costing] hundreds of pounds a day," he explained. "We can do the same job for less than 1 a day. The cost has gone completely because you're only paying for the cost of electricity, that's what automation does."

When Mr Sachiti first started trialling driverless deliveries in the UK, it was for sending prescription medicines to care homes in Hounslow.

"It was not to represent some corporation or about capitalism," he said. "But it was just hopefully changing the world one step at a time and using our technology to solve actual problems."

This technology is now being used to help Banstead boutique Something Special offer driverless deliveries, making it one of the first stores in the UK to do so.

The Kar-Go completely forgoes the cost of petrol, insurance, road tax and the cost of the driver. It's what Sachiti describes as "optimal efficiency".

While electric vehicles prove most cost-efficient, the green aspect is hugely important for Mr Sachiti. He said: "I'm a bit of a self-professed hippie so I'm all for green vehicles. I believe in the principles of 'leave no trace in the environment' when you do something."

While artificial intelligence appears to be the inevitable future, Mr Sachiti worries about what this could mean ethically.

"The thing that keeps me up at night is the possibility that we create a really advanced artificial intelligence that is even a tiny bit sentient, and even just 1% unhappy," he explained. "Does this mean that we've made a being that suffers, or that we've made a hell and then populated it? Where is the line?"

Though the concept is akin to a Black Mirror episode, Mr Sachiti is keen to monitor the issue. "I love AI and I do think it's the future, but I also think we have to be careful," he said. "Maybe one day I'll be an activist representing the rights of 'the differently sentient'."

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Meet the Surrey man who created the Academy of Robotics to build futuristic inventions - Surrey Live

ELKHART You could say Killian Townsend is inquisitive.

"I remember when, I was like in the third or fourth grade, that I dragged this big tube TV from down the road into my room and tore it apart," the Elkhart High School freshman said.

Likewise, Weston Markham, a16-year-oldstudent at Northwood High School, said he loved playing with Legos as a kid and has enjoyed building things for as long as he can remember.

Eventually, Killian and Weston found their way to E3 Robotics Center, a nonprofit program that trains students inkindergarten through grade 12 in the STEM-related disciplines of robotics andcode writing.

More: Purdue Polytechnic High School coming to former Studebaker building in South Bend

Brian Boehler, president and executive director, said that the overarching goal of E3, which isfunded through grants, corporations andprivatedonors,is simply to get students of all grade levels involved in STEM.

For kindergartners and their siblings or neighbors in elementary school, that involves doing activities with Lego blocks.

"The program starts at youngest levels with Duplo Lego and standard Lego, where kids are working at problem solving through engineering building challenges, and they are then tasked to come up with solutions in small groups," Boehler said.

The activities become more complex as the students get older.

Older elementary school kids work with Legos that include motors and sensors.

"These Legos are different than the onesyou hadgrowing up," Boehler said. "They can make their creations interact and move based on the world around them using thesesensorsand motors."

The older students like Killian and Weston work together to make robots that can perform tasks.

For example, last year, Weston's team made a robotthey programmed to drive around a field and gobble up rubber balls.

"The head part has a roller at the very front that will spin and bring balls into it," he said. "The entire head can lift and if we run the roller the other direction, it can spit the balls out."

The robotseems to move and perform each task as if by magic. But it is not magic. Instead, team members have planned every aspect of the robot's mission. Some team members wrote computer programs to instruct the robot. Other built the robot. But all had to work together.

So,while many people focus on hard skills like computer programming, the students also have to master skills like communication, working in groups and knowing how to organize tasks, Boehler said.

"You mix these things all together because some kids will know how to do different things," Weston said.

Killian agrees, noting he worked as one of the programmers for his team.

"Our main programmer did mostly autonomous stuff, which is where the robot does things on his own, and I mostly did the manual part where the drivers control it (usually with a joystick)," Killian said.

Boehler has a deep history with robotics in Elkhart and with the E3 Robotics program. He was a member of the state's first Lego League team when he was a student at Mary Feeser Elementary School.

He graduated from Memorial and then attended Ball State University, where he majored in urban planning and development.

"Unfortunately, I graduated in the middle of a recession, so not a lot of cities wanted to redesign or rebuild," Boehler said.

It was around that time that the Elkhart schools asked Boehler to help set up the system's robotics program. At that time he worked for another nonprofit STEM program in Elkhart County called the ETHOS Innovation Center. There, he helped to develop the district's STEM and robotics curriculum and soon, other schools, and homeschoolers came on board.

More: ETHOS center in Elkhart creates a new space for science futures to take root

In 2012, Boehler and co-director Brent Soper founded E3.

Boehler saidthere is enough interest in robotics and STEM in the area to accommodate more than one program.

"We really haven't seen a cap yet on (the number of students) that robotics is able to get," he said.

The E3 program had more than 120 students prior to the beginning of the pandemic and even managed to work with about 60 students last year. Boehler hopes to build the numbers back up this year.

Robotics programs statewide have grown as students and parents see the benefits of learning STEM skills such as programming, as well as the soft skills like communication, planning and team building that employers crave, said Chris Osborne, vice president of operations of First Indiana Robotics, which is the nonprofit that works with and oversees robotics programs in the state.

More: Ivy Tech to break ground on manufacturing training facility in Elkhart County

Osborne notedthere were 900 students from 42 high schools taking part in the First Robotics Competition in 2012. That number grew to 58 teams and about 1,600 students intending to participate in 2020.

The First Tech Challenge, which is for students in grades seven through 12 and the First Lego League, which is an introductory program for elementary school students, saw similar growth, Osborne said.

Weston, meanwhile, said he believeshe has benefited from being in the program.

"If I were not in theprogram,I never would have learned the hard skills," he said, "but secondly I would have not learned all the ways to communicate and plan things."

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Howard Dukes at hdukes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter:@DukesHoward.

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Students of all ages learn robotics, programming and communication skills at Elkhart's E3 - South Bend Tribune

HERSEY Family farms are a staple of both Mecosta and Osceola counties, and residents and visitors can often spot construction and improvement projects at some farms.

One Reed City family, the Carmichaels, have started work on building a new state-of-the-art barn to improve processes and create more space on the farm.

Christina Carmichael, owner and operator of the familys farm, has been farming for years and said the family wanted to build the barn to improve daily operations.

Carmichael is a fifth-generation farmer on their family farm which has been farmed for over 100 years. She farms over 1,000 acres with the help of her parents, Jerry and Lynn Mitchell, and her husband of 11 years, Jeff.

The couple has three kids: Emmett, 9; Caden, 6; and Brianna, 4. The Carmichael kids have been raised on the farm and are the sixth generation.

I do most anything on the farm wherever I am needed. I mostly manage the dairy steer operation, Christina Carmichael said. We decided to build the facility to become more efficient and reduce the amount of labor that it takes to raise dairy steers. It will also allow more flexibility on labor.

We used to milk cows, but the struggles in the dairy industry forced us to change our business, she added. We sold our cows in 2019. I work a lot with MSU extension agents that helped me develop a plan to move the business from a dairy farm to a dairy steer farm. We now raise baby bull calves from one to two days old all the way up to market beef. We also sell freezer beef.

The new barn, at 814 190th Avenue in Hersey, is set to take around two to three months to complete construction and will serve as a new feeding location for the farms cow calves.

The family grows almost all of the feed for their steers directly on the farm, such as corn, wheat, rye, and hay. The farm has 600 head of steers.

Carmichael said the new barn will allow for new electronic systems to take over much of the work that she does normally hands-on with the cows.

The goal of the project is to reduce the amount of labor and time it takes to feed and manage so many baby calves, Carmichael said. We also hope to achieve better rates of gain on our calves because they will be able to eat more often than I have time in a day to feed them. It also allows for social development at an earlier age.

My goals for the upcoming year are to make this barn a success for our business and continue to become more profitable, she added. We hope to be more productive with less labor-intensive.

The barn is being built with the help of Welch Building LLC and Greenstone Farm Credit Services. It is being painted green as a nod to the familys dedication to and love for the Michigan State Spartans. Both Carmichael and her husband graduated from MSU.

Carmichael said she came back after college to take over the family business, and the new building will give her some much-needed free time, and make things a lot easier for the farm.

It will help with the management of the calves, Carmichael said. It also will allow for a better environment that will allow us to more efficiently handle and care for the calves.

"It will help me personally by giving me more flexibility in my time. I am currently tied down to this farm, and having to miss out on doing things with my family or showing up late after I have the chores done has been a challenge.

It will also allow me to help in other areas of the farm getting things done quicker because I wont be stuck feeding calves, she added.

Carmichael said life on the farm is hard work, but worth it in the long run.

My favorite part about life on the farm is that I get to raise my family on the farm just like I was raised, Carmichael said. I get to carry on my family legacy by keeping the family farm business going. I love this way of life. God has blessed us in so many ways. I also enjoy seeing the fruits of my labor make our family business a success.

Moving forward, Carmichael said she hopes the new barn will be completed sooner rather than later so that the family can begin using it as a fully functioning facility, and that the family will continue to look for ways to improve their farm and operations.

We are always looking for improvements or efficiencies to help make the farm better or more profitable, Carmichael said. If a technology comes along that we feel will be beneficial to our farm we will implement it.

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Reed City farmers use robotics to feed animals - The Pioneer

Five young women who are part of a famed Afghan robotics team which had been a symbol of opportunities for women and girls in a post-Taliban Afghanistan have arrived in Mexico as part of the first group of evacuees to land there.

They will be received with great affection by the people of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexicos foreign minister, said at a news conference at Mexico Citys international airport late on Tuesday. They are bearers of a dream: to show that we can have an egalitarian, fraternal and gender-equal world.

Mr. Ebrard has led Mexicos efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover this month, cutting through a typically lengthy immigration process to provide immediate protection. A group of Afghans who worked for The New York Times, along with their families, also arrived safely in Mexico on Wednesday.

Images shared by the Foreign Ministry showed the group that included the robotics team arriving aboard a Lufthansa plane and being greeted by Mexican officials. Some of the young women, all wearing masks because of the pandemic, put their hands to their hearts and nodded their heads as they disembarked.

An institution based in Mexico, which was unnamed, has offered accommodations, food and basic services for the young women, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

Other team members had fled to Qatar earlier in the week, and some remained in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by the teams founder, the Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob.

Ms. Mahboob said that those who remained behind faced a worrying future under the Taliban, which banned education for girls when the group last ruled the country.

The young women were part of a robotics team that gained international attention in 2017 when they were denied visas to the United States for a competition in Washington.

Members of Congress signed a petition, and President Donald J. Trump intervened to get travel documents for them on humanitarian grounds. Once back in Afghanistan, they were received as icons of progress, though some accused them of dressing immodestly while abroad and said they had compromised their prospects for marriage.

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Five women on a famed Afghan robotics team arrive in Mexico. - The New York Times